Will Testaverde be Heading to Dallas?

Derrick Crosby

01/08/2003

One of the most popular rumors around Valley Ranch these days centers around the quarterback position for the Dallas Cowboys. Will Bill Parcells bring a veteran quarterback to assist in the development of Chad Hutchinson? We examine all the angles in this report.

For Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells, there aren't many questions surrounding what needs to happen in Valley Ranch next year.

"There's going to be some changes," said Parcells. "There's no denying that at all. They didn't bring me in here to keep things status quo, I think it's safe to say that."

No they sure didn't, and the first position, and perhaps the most important position that will require his undivided attention will be at quarterback.

Now that the Quincy Carter experiment has seemingly fallen by the wayside, it has become clear that either one of two things will happen next season in Dallas.

One, Bill Parcells will anoint Chad Hutchinson as his franchise quarterback and he'll ultimately be responsible for the Cowboys' resurgence, or two, Parcells will elect to bring in a veteran quarterback to help ignite the turnaround a little more quickly.

The more popular opinion is that Parcells will choose option number two. The thinking here is that a quarterback that has proven himself in the National Football League would likely pay more dividends to a team that has seemingly had no direction on offense the past two seasons.

But in reality, even Bill Parcells may not even be close to making a decision in just his first week on the job.

"I know there are certain cards here on the table, and they all aren't bad cards. There are some good cards here. I don't know what's going to transpire at that position," said Parcells.

"It's a position that's vital in the NFL. He has to have a lot of things, besides the physical skill to survive this thing that he faces after the game on Sundays," added the future Hall of Fame coach.

Whatever it is that Bill Parcells is referring to in his quarterback, Chad Hutchinson has it. That doesn't mean that the organization as a whole should be pleased with his performance this past season, but it does mean that he has the intangibles in place to become a successful quarterback at the professional level.

Hutchinson has seen his share of ups and downs during his professional career, both as pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and as a quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys.

In short, there's a reason why as many as seven teams were lined up to offer him a contract last year- the kid has talent.

How that talent is developed will now hold the key to his future in Dallas. This leads us back to our original argument concerning the quarterback situation next year.

Like it or not, its time to bring in a veteran signal caller: someone who's persevered through the trials and tribulations of playing football in the NFL for more than a couple of years.

That someone should be one of two players in either Vinny Testeverde or Kordell Stewart.

While they may not be two of the most popular quarterbacks in the National Football League right now, they clearly make the most sense.
Vinny Testeverde excelled under Bill Parcells for New York when the two helped lead the Jets to the AFC Championship game against Denver back in 1998.

Testeverde, who handed his job to Chad Pennington earlier this year, clearly still has some gas left in the tank and could likely improve this offense more in one year than any other player available at any position.

Stewart, who is just one year removed from the Pro Bowl, has the kind of athletic ability that Jerry Jones wants in a quarterback.

And of course both players appear to be headed to different teams next season based on what their respective organizations have indicated over the course of the last few weeks.

Furthermore, by keeping Chad Hutchinson and bringing in a veteran quarterback to assist in his development, the Cowboys can strengthen their position in the draft by trading down and obtaining more first round picks.

Why you ask? Because they won't need to trade up to draft a quarterback like Carson Palmer or Byron Leftwich.

And trading down in the draft has always been a calling card of Bill Parcells. He did it in New England, and he's done with several other teams along the way as well.

Clearly, the Cowboys need help next season on offense, and it's all going to start at the quarterback position. But don't expect serious movement anytime soon, especially considering that both Pittsburgh and New York are still battling out in the playoffs.

After the Super Bowl is when Bill Parcells and Jerry Jones will begin making their moves, and only then will we know for sure just what the future holds.